Published: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 9:36 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 9:36 p.m.

Jamie Ross (right) films an interview Monday for an episode of Jason McCoy Eats America with Jason McCoy (middle) and Todd Rowan (left) at The Duke in Houma.

Benjamin Oliver Hicks/Staff

Situated next to The Boxer & The Barrel downtown at 7819 Main St., The Duke was McCoy's second stop in a series of locations across the Southeast for his new Canadian Country Music Television show debut, “Jason McCoy Eats America.”

The show's theme is similar to American food shows such as Guy Fieri's, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” or Anthony Bourdain's, “No Reservations,” in which McCoy fraternizes with locals by eating at offbeat but revered restaurants and diners.

Each town McCoy and his production crew visits will be a modest and off-the-normal tourist grind, said Melissa McRae, the show's producer.

McCoy is an acclaimed artist in Canada. He's a three-time winner of the Canadian Country Music Award for songwriter of the year and a driving force behind the platinum-album selling group, The Road Hammers.

The crew has a preliminary outline of where it wants to shoot, McRae said. But it is relying a great deal on word of mouth from locals and online restaurant reviews to find sought-after establishments.

A series of Google searches lead them to The Duke, which had the descriptions and ratings they were seeking, McRae said. The restaurant specializes in burgers, salads and wraps.

McRae said they've been enjoying traditional Louisiana fare such as po' boys and gumbo, but they liked the descriptions of The Duke's service and staff, who are known to be tastefully rambunctious and often rocking out to The Ramones in the kitchen.

McCoy sat down with The Duke's owner, Todd Rowan, who served up McCoy some of The Duke's specialties.

McCoy started off with the Fried Mac & Cheese Balls — which speaks for itself — and the Hangover Burger, a burger topped with cheddar, bacon, grits and a fried egg, served on a homemade biscuit coupled with gravy fries. The meal was concluded with a seasonal slice of deep-fried King Cake.

“The place has got a pretty laid-back vibe to it,” McCoy said, while Rowan's kitchen staff was chanting songs in the background. “It's welcoming. You can tell a lot about a place by their staff.”

Rowan, a musician himself, was surprised when he got the call about putting his restaurant on the show, but he said his staff pulled it off nicely.

Rowan gave McCoy the lowdown about the region when McCoy asked about its culture.

“A great question he asked me was about the misconceptions of Louisiana,” Rowan said. “I told him that we are all not a bunch of swamp people roaming around in boats. Because of the drinking culture in New Orleans, don't think that the Bourbon Street culture is everywhere in Louisiana. We are really into family and really into culture and art.”

McCoy said the show's conception came about because he's always had an affinity for the South and wanted to learn more about it firsthand.

“When I was a kid, I was into country music and southern rock,” he said. “It gets into your bones. It feels comfortable.”

McCoy said he finds the old-style charm and rustic way of life found in parts of the Houma-Thibodaux region appealing.

“Almost every corner you turn, everything just looks like a movie,” he said. “Everything looks important. There is a regalness to it that we don't have in Canada.”

McCoy's crew plans to film some more in Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas and Kentucky. The show will air on Canada's CMT station sometime in April.

You can catch the program by visiting www.cmt.ca.

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.